Transportation & Distribution

Alphabet's Drone Delivery Business Has Been Cleared for Takeoff

Alphabet Jumps Into Drone Air-Traffic Control With Flight App

June 30, 2021

Alphabet Inc.’s drone-delivery venture, Wing, is releasing free software for U.S. drone users to get permission to fly near sensitive areas such as airports.

Packages are unloaded from a FedEx Corp. truck in New York City.

How E-Tailers Are Greening the Last Mile

June 30, 2021

Matt Huckeba, SCB Contributor

Demand for last-mile delivery services is booming around the world — expected to jump nearly 80% globally in the next decade. Here are a few ways e-commerce and logistics companies are aiming to reverse their environmental impact.

Truck Drivers and Container Chassis: The Peak Season Shortages to Expect

June 30, 2021

Richard Marks, SCB Contributor

Supply chain managers need to understand where the vulnerabilities are, and what to expect in a peak season that’s poised to bring about increased pressure for shippers and carriers in terms of labor, capacity, transparency and supply.

Northwest Heat Wave Triggers Blackouts and Buckles Highways

June 29, 2021

Bloomberg

The rare and powerful heat wave shattering records across the U.S. Northwest is taking a bruising toll on the region’s infrastructure, buckling highways, hobbling public transit and triggering rolling power outages.

Cargo Congestion Argues for Early Christmas Shopping This Year

June 29, 2021

Bloomberg

Here are six shipping signals to watch in the second half of the year.

U.K. Faces Food Shortages as Worker Scarcity Gets Worse

June 28, 2021

Bloomberg

From abattoirs to restaurant kitchens, the U.K. food sector is facing a massive challenge this summer: there just aren’t enough workers.

A Win for Roads, and No Tax Hikes: Infrastructure Deal Takeaways

June 24, 2021

Bloomberg

The infrastructure agreement announced Thursday by the White House and a bipartisan group of senators carves out $579 billion of common ground from the $2.25 trillion American Jobs Plan unveiled in March by President Biden.

U.S. Ship Jam Lingers as Port Woes Stretch From China to Germany

June 24, 2021

Bloomberg

Ship congestion outside the busiest U.S. gateway for trade held steady over the past week, as ports from China to Germany battle with COVID-19 outbreaks and other constraints on their capacity to keep containers moving across the global economy.

Electric Plane Pioneer Pivots to Cargo Drones

June 18, 2021

Bloomberg

While the coronavirus crisis has delayed completion of a plant, the 65-year-old entrepreneur still expects unmanned cargo craft to comfortably beat autonomous passenger planes into the skies.

China’s Worse-Than-Suez Ship Delays Set to Widen Trade Chaos

June 18, 2021

Bloomberg

The global shipping industry, already exhausted by pandemic shocks that are adding to inflation pressures and delivery delays, faces the biggest test of its stamina yet.

Transportation & Distribution

The latest news, analysis, services and systems regarding transportation and distribution and their impact on global supply chains. Today’s companies are shipping and delivering perishables and manufactured goods faster and farther around the world than ever before through transportation and distribution solutions. New technologies that provide information during local and global shipments via air, ground and sea are transforming the way companies do business - and allowing them to stay ahead of the competition in their industries. As these services continue to evolve, businesses are discovering new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs. Learn how companies are using transportation and distribution solutions to power their supply chains.